Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Rehm Thermal Systems has a new series of drying and firing systems for solar cell metallization. The Solardryer RDS 2100 and RDS 3000 are drying processes of a combination of five IR zones and one central convection zone.

Henkel is to present its new hotmelt adhesive the Terostat MS 500 for framing crystalline solar modules at the EU PVSEC. The patented adhesive technology based on modified silane polymers has a high initial bond strength directly after assembly.

Germany-based Conergy has announced it is the “world’s first” solar company to offer Europe-wide output insurance, which is designed to provide customers with, among other things, ten-year protection against output decreases stemming from components or configuration defects, degradation and the delamination of modules. It is only available to Conergy customers.

DuPont has announced production of polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) polymer resin – a “critical” raw material used to make the company’s Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride film – has begun at its Fayetteville Works facility in the U.S. The film is used for photovoltaics (PV) panel backsheets.

Scientists at the Zentrum fur Sonnenenergie-und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg, Germany (Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research, ZSW) say they have achieved a new world record for copper, indium, gallium and diselenide (CIGS) solar cell efficiencies. At 20.3 percent, the Stuttgart researchers state that the new results should “significantly” improve the cost-effectiveness of CIGS thin film photovoltaics (PV) over the medium term.

Speaking to pv magazine, Manz Automation AG CFO, Martin Hipp underlined four strategic aims the company intends to achieve in the next few years under its new partnership with Würth Solar GmbH & Co. KG and the Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW – Center for solar energy and hydrogen research).

Propelled by aggressive research and development (R&D) activities, third generation photovoltaics (PVs) are poised to take a huge leap forward, says Frost & Sullivan in a new analysis. The exploratory mass production of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC)-powered consumer durables is likely to alter the future course of research in this segment, says the company.

Solarmer Energy, Inc. has recently achieved a new world record of 8.13 percent for its organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell efficiency, which has been certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Microsemi Corporation and Germany-based Spelsberg, in conjunction with its partner, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, have announced the development of a disruptive new technology for photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. The technology was demonstrated at this year’s Intersolar North America, held in San Francisco, the U.S.

Sunfilm AG has announced it has set a world record of 9.6 percent total area efficiency for a thin film tandem junction silicon solar module of 2.6 meters x 2.2 meters. The record module, Model F, achieved a maximum stabilized output power of 546 Wp, says the company.